Melting Statues
by Lord Gambit508
Summary: After mercenary Caulfield D. Alex is given a job that could have him set for life,  he sets out to get a crew and brave the Grand Line


Well here we are, with the first chapter of my OC One Piece story, I hope you enjoy

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><p>The ocean's dark waves slapped at the worn wood of the dock, the soft wood creaking beneath the steps of the man who stepped onto the thin stretch of wood. The man held his dark coat close to him as he spat into the water. "Damn cold" he swore as he glanced upward at the skies. The heavens of the North Blue were dark and turbulent, intermittent flashes revealing the man's surroundings before they were cast into darkness once more.<p>

The man sighed audibly as he knelt down, tying the small boat to the dock. It had been a hard job, and quite frankly he just wanted to get his money and forget about the whole thing with a long drink. Clenching his fingers, he brushed his black hair from his eyes and started walking toward the town.

The man took a swift turn as he entered the town, turning into a dark grimy alley. Beggars and lepers peered up at him, holding out dirt covered bowels and cups, but he ignored them. He had no time for distractions. Reaching the door, he shoved it open as he entered the bar. A few of the patrons glanced at him as he walked toward the bar and took a seat.

The man tapped the table as the bartender turned toward him, wiping a glass clean with a towel that had seen better days. "I'll take whatever you have that's strong" the man said as the bartender reached behind him and poured a glass of a dark brown liquid. Dropping a few ice cubes into the drink, the bartender passed it to the man who flipped some coins onto the table. "Finally, I've been dying of thirst" the man laughed before downing the drink. The liquid was warm and the room spun a bit. The man slammed the glass down just as a hand reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.

The man grimaced as a foul stench came to his nostrils, a stench that smelled like a cross between burnt meat and blood. Turning around, the man glanced at the person in front of him, a large shirtless fellow with a fierce burn scar running down his face and body, a kukri lied sheathed at his waist. The man grinned, "Well if it isn't my new favorite person, Kiduma, how goes the child killing?"

Kiduma growled as his meaty hand clenched down on the man's shoulder, "I would watch your tongue, Alex. Someone might decide to cut it out."

Alex raised an eyebrow as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a thin cigarette, lighting it from a lantern hanging over the bar. He took a long drag, breathing out a ring of smoke as he rose from the stool, moving Kiduma's hand from his shoulder. "My friend, if they haven't felt the need to remove yours, than I'm sure my tongue is perfectly safe." Alex's face turned serious as he glanced at Kiduma coldly, "However I didn't come here to shoot the shit, I performed the job and I expect my pay." He said, holding out a hand for the payment.

Kiduma laughed as he grinned at Alex, "Payment? Fine, I'll give you your payment! I hope you take steel!" Kiduma drew his sword, lashing out at Alex who ducked backwards, a thin spray of blood coming from his hand as a thin red line was slashed across his palm.

"Oi, that's my drinking hand!" Alex complained as he leapt forward, pushing his cigarette into Kiduma's face. The rotund ruffian roared in pain as he swung widely, Alex slamming his fist into Kiduma's expansive belly. Kiduma swayed a bit as the crowd that was now surrounding them pushed him back into the fight. Kiduma swung again, this time carving deep into Alex's chest.

However, this time there was no blood, instead a soft earth-like material leaked from the wound, slowly reforming back into Alex's chest. The joking smile was gone from Alex's face as he glared at Kiduma. "So you made me reveal my powers…and you won't pay me…. and you made me get rid of my cigarette! Your shoes are not safe ones right now" Alex yelled as his right hand transformed into the same earth-like material.

One of the crowd shouted in surprise, "He must have a devil fruit" Alex glanced at him in annoyance as the man shrank down.

"Yes, I have a devil fruit, the Nendo Nendo No Mi, I'm a…clay-man as the less intelligent people, like you Kiduma" Alex said gesturing at the fat fiend who stood shocked. "I don't like getting gypped on payments. Nendo Kobushi!" Alex said as he swung his right hand forward, sending a fist of clay flying off it and slamming into Kiduma's face.

Kiduma was sent backwards, knocking down a good number of patrons, and causing a table to flip over. Kiduma rose slowly as he spat out blood. "You'll pay for this, Alex!" He said as Alex raised his leg high. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Nendo Suraisu!" Alex shouted as he brought his leg down, a thin clay blade flying out and slamming into Kiduma. A thin line of blood squirted out from the corpulent criminal's head as he fell to the ground. Alex brushed his coat off as he sighed in annoyance and walked toward the door.

The patrons of the bar glanced at Alex as he exited, one of them pulling a piece of paper off a nearby wall that was covered with Wanted Posters. He glanced at the picture and then up at the still swinging door. "That was Death Clay"

"Who?" His fellow patron asked as the man pointed at the poster. The poster had a close up of Alex, a cocky grin on his face.

**WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE**

"**Death Clay" Caulfield D. Alex**

**Bounty: 28,000,000  
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"I heard about him, he's said to be one of the best mercs in the North Blue." The second patron mentioned as the first glanced at Kiduma's prone form.

"Fucking jobs" Alex chucked a rock down the street as he paced the narrow alleys. That had been the seventh job that either paid too little or didn't pay at all. He was running low on food...and more importantly, cigarettes. Alex paused for a second as he glanced at the sky. It had cleared up slightly since the storm last night, but the ground was still a bit moist.

Alex clenched his hand as he took a seat on a nearby bench, he needed a big job but those weren't going to fall out of the sky. Alex glanced up for a sec before grinning. "Yeah, that was likely to happen" he snarked when something rang.

Rrrng.

Rrrng.

Alex paused before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small Den Den Mushi and pressing its button. "Hello, Melting Statues Mercs, at your service?"

A suave voice spoke as the mushi moved it's mouth in imitation, "Yes, I have a …large job I need you to do.'

Alex raised an eyebrow, skeptical at the turn of events. "Go on, what's the job, theft, bodyguard, prostitution?"

"Assassination"

Alex paused before checking to make sure no one was listening, "Who's the target?"

The voice chuckled. "Nothing too big, just a Mr. Robertos. He's a slave trader, resides around Shanbody Archipelago" Alex raised an eyebrow as he turned into the nearby alley. "So can you do it? I'm willing to pay 10,000,000 belli"

Alex rubbed his chin, the money would be good if there was any truth to it, and course only way to find that out would be to do the job. He sighed as he clicked the button on the Den Den Mushi. "Fine, I'll take the job but I'll need time to get a crew and get down to Shanbody. After all, there is the entire fucking Grand Line in between me and it."

The voice coughed slightly as the Mushi rolled its eyes. "Very well then, you have six months before I get someone else. Understand"

"Crystal sir." Alex said as he hung up the mushi. "Now where the fuck am I going to find a fucking crew?"


End file.
